The Nuggets coach was named the conference’s coach of the month for January, thanks to Denver’s 12-3 record (.800) and stellar play despite injuries to Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony.

During January, the Nuggets defeated the likes of Cleveland, Houston, Orlando, San Antonio and playoff-bound Charlotte, coached by Larry Brown, the Eastern Conference coach of the month.

Karl will coach the Western Conference in the All-Star Game and will find out possibly in the next day or so if Denver guard Chauncey Billups will be named the all-star replacement for Hornets guard Chris Paul, who is undergoing knee surgery.

The Nuggets host the Kings tonight at 7 p.m. – Sacramento defeated Denver both times this season, but Billups missed the first game and Anthony missed the second.

Benjamin Hochman was a sports columnist for The Denver Post until August 2015 before leaving for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, his hometown newspaper. Hochman previously worked for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for its Hurricane Katrina coverage. Hochman wrote the Katrina-themed book “Fourth and New Orleans,” published in 2007.

EDMONTON, Alberta — In two games since returning from an eight-game injury absence, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has four points, including a goal, and multiple shots off the post or crossbar. The 22-year-old has undoubtedly re-proven that he is the Avs’ most valuable player — the player they must have in the lineup to make a legitimate playoff push.